Become a Clinical Supervisor for the Associateship of Clinical Allergy
The National Allergy Council invites experienced allergy clinicians to become supervisors for the Associateship of Clinical Allergy (ACA) and play a vital role in shaping the future of allergy training in Australia.
What is the ACA?
The ACA is a standardised and comprehensive training program designed to enable general practitioners (GPs) and paediatricians to provide quality allergy care in regional and rural communities. The course combines practical teaching methods combined with real-world clinical experience and supervision.
ACA trainees undertake four semesters of learning, completed within a minimum of two years (part-time). The course has a hybrid model of delivery including:
- A two-day face-to-face workshop at the start of each semester.
- 10 weeks of online interactive learning content.
- 10 trainee-led webinars in which trainees are supported by the faculty to present a case to their peers using a clinical reasoning approach.
- Clinical observations with supervisors each semester to enable trainee exposure to allergy cases for learning and reflection.
How does supervision work?
Each trainee is assigned two clinical supervisors to develop and oversee their clinical allergy skills and ensure balanced guidance. Clinical attachments are tailored to the trainees practice, setting and scope.
Typically, one supervisor is a clinical immunology/allergy specialist, and the other supervisor is an allergy GP or allergy paediatrician.
The trainee observes their supervisors conducting allergy clinics and the supervisors will also observe the trainee in practice in their community clinic. Each semester, the trainee submits a portfolio with the required number of cases observed, and clinic letters which are reviewed and assessed by their supervisors.
Why become a supervisor?
As a supervisor, you will:
- Support the development of allergy GPs and allergy paediatricians across Australia with a focus on improving allergy care in regional and rural areas.
- Contribute to national efforts to strengthen allergy care capacity and reduce inequities in access for patients in rural and regional areas.
- Enhance your own professional growth through reflective supervision and engagement with the broader allergy community.
- Stay connected to an emerging clinical network of allergy trained practitioners.
- Receive an honorarium for each unit supervised.
Your role as a supervisor
Supervisors provide trainees with:
- Support throughout their learning journey.
- Opportunities to observe and be observed in in clinical consultations (ideally in person, or online when needed).
- Guidance and feedback on the trainee’s clinical reasoning and patient care.
- Ongoing support through observation, discussion, and case reviews
- An End-of-Semester Supervisor Report to reflect the trainee progress.
Supervisors also agree to:
- Maintain confidentiality regarding all trainee materials and discussions within the secure learning platform (Canvas)
- Complete a short online Supervisor Training Session (approximately 1 hour)
- Be accessible via email or video for scheduled check-ins (minimal time commitment).
All supervisors are provided access to course materials via the secure CANVAS learning platform.
Who can supervise?
Applications are welcome from ASCIA members including Full members and Medical Associate members. Supervisors must be currently working in clinical practice so that observations of their clinics can be offered. Supervisors can be based in public or private practice, and from metropolitan or regional settings.
Minimum essential criteria for supervisors:
- A minimum of 5 years post-Fellowship (FRACP, FRACGP, FACRRM, or FRCP with paediatric or allergy specialisation).
- Full and unrestricted AHPRA registration with evidence of active participation in Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
- Currently practising in a clinical allergy setting (private or public) at least two days per week.
- Relevant experience teaching or supervising medical students or registrars.
- A willingness to participate in the Rural and Regional Clinical Allergy Network and build enduring relationships with trainees.
- The ability to be a positive clinical and professional role model.
Desirable criteria:
- An interest in ongoing mentoring of ACA course alumni.
- Completion of cultural awareness training approved by a medical college in the last five years is desirable.
Time commitment
The supervisor role is designed to be flexible and manageable. The estimated time commitment per semester includes:
- 1 hour for orientation (once only).
- Supervisor to observe (ideally in person) 1-2 days (or at least 10 cases) conducted by the ACA trainee.
- Supervisor to allow the ACA trainee to observe at least 10 cases through one of your clinics (in person or virtually). The trainee must observe a minimum of two clinics or equivalent to 20 cases and this can be divided between their two supervisors
- 1-2 hours to complete workplace-based assessments and the End-of-Semester Report.
Supervisors will be paid a fixed honorarium per semester.
How to apply
To express interest, simply complete our short Supervisor Expression of Interest Form.
We will then contact you to confirm your availability and next steps.
Further information
Find out more about the Associateship of Clinical Allergy.
For questions or more information, please email: 📧
Hear from our Supervisors
“Supervising our regional colleagues is extremely rewarding. I find it an opportunity to encourage considered, rational approach to allergy presentations in children for clinicians who already have a wealth of clinical experience. The learning was bi-directional and I think our whole team gets something out of our combined clinic visits. Furthermore, we have opened communication channels to a centre in the state that will be able to provide excellent allergy care to local patients close to home." – Paediatric clinical immunology/allergy specialist, NSW
Information about this course and the Shared Care for Allergy Project
The ACA course has been developed as part of the National Allergy Council’s Shared Care for Allergy Project, which aims to improve access to high-quality allergy care by providing targeted training and support to healthcare professionals in rural and regional areas of Australia.
Funding for the pilot is provided by the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing and managed through the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) Education and Training Initiatives. This support enables the first 10 participants to undertake the ACA course at a subsidised cost.
Stay informed about the Shared Care for Allergy Project
To stay informed about future consultation opportunities and find out how the Shared Care for Allergy Project is progressing:
Follow the National Allergy Council on social media (Facebook, LinkedIn or Instagram)
Subscribe to the Shared Care for Allergy Bulletin
If you have an enquiry about the project please email
Content created August 2025